I AM a resident of the village of Newby Wiske and one of those protesting vigorously against the plans to develop Newby Wiske Hall and its grounds into what the developer calls a “residential training centre” but many would liken more to a theme park.

Zip lines, climbing/abseil towers, giant swings 17-metres high and tree-top “high ropes” courses together with anticipated noise levels in excess of 98 decibels may be fine at Centre Parcs or Lightwater Valley but are totally unsuited to a development in a conservation area and on an historic listed building.

I have no quarrel with the developers – PGL Ltd – as a company. It is simply that they have chosen the wrong place for such a development, encouraged by people who should know better. It is at the door of those people that the blame for the impending destruction of the village should lay and Julia Mulligan, the police and crime commissioner, is at the forefront.

The sight of Mrs Mulligan standing in front of the hall announcing to the media what good work she has done in “selecting” PGL as a neighbour for the village leaves me cold. This backed up by a letter to residents lecturing us how she “after careful consideration has chosen a buyer who will work sympathetically with the building, have minimal impact on the environment and I believe be a very good neighbour” is disingenuous and comes close to an insult to the village.

My plans for a peaceful old age seem to have been taken out of my hands but if ever I need an advocate to lecture me on what is best for the future life of my family and friends Mrs Mulligan can rest assured it will not be her.

In reality Mrs Mulligan cares not one jot about the welfare of Newby Wiske or its residents. On entering office as PCC and bringing politics into policing Mrs Mulligan chose to assert her authority by announcing the intended sale of police HQ. Following on from the humiliating and costly debacle of the failed purchase of land at South Kilvington Mrs Mulligan is now desperate to sell Newby Wiske Hall to anyone.

Whilst Mrs Mulligan attempts to keep details of the sale price a secret it should come as no surprise to anyone when we eventually learn that in her panic she has of- floaded the hall and parkland at a “fire-sale” price.

Let us hope that Mrs Mulligan is suitably rewarded for her standard of performance when the next elections for PCC take place.

David Stockport, Newby Wiske